Spike
Spike, also known as Spike the Dragon, is a male baby dragon and one of the main characters of My Little Pony Friendship is Magic. He is Twilight Sparkle's best friend and number one assistant. He has the ability to magically deliver scrolls to and from Princess Celestia with his green fire-breath, which is featured in many episodes, as is his crush on Rarity. DevelopmentEdit Spike's appearance is based on his Generation 1 incarnation more than his Generation 3 version, with a few modifications done by Lauren Faust. In G1, he was portrayed as a baby dragon with green spikes, and his body was pink. In his G3 incarnation, he was a 1,000-year old dragon with orange spikes, purple hair, and a blue body. He is the only main character who was taken from G1 other than Applejack. Dog Spike, as he is in the human world, is not human because, as stated by Meghan McCarthy, "1) It would be weird for Twilight to hide a small boy in her backpack. 2) Dragon through portal doesn’t = same as pony."5 Depiction in the seriesEdit Personality Playfulness Spike is occasionally sarcastic and sometimes laughs at others' misfortunes, even though he usually means well. In Bridle Gossip, he comes up with nicknames for the ponies after their appearances change from an exposure to poison joke: Hairity, Rainbow Crash, Spitty Pie, Apple Teeny, Flutterguy, and Twilight Flopple. InWinter Wrap Up, he makes fun of Twilight's terrible nest-making and skating skills. However, he is very helpful and supportive towards Twilight in Lesson Zero. For instance, Spike is the only member of the main cast to take Twilight's concerns about missing a report to Princess Celestia seriously, unlike the others. Spike is a fun-loving dragon: he enjoys the welcome party that Pinkie Pie throws for Twilight in Friendship is Magic, part 1, and scarfs down candy in Nightmare Night. Sensitivity In Owl's Well That Ends Well, he feels insecure and jealous when Twilight finds another assistant, Owlowiscious. When Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash tell Twilight about Spike's insecurity, she says, "Spike knows he can't be replaced." In Lesson Zero, Spike gets worried as Twilight becomes increasingly nervous about the due date for her friendship report. In the The Crystal Empire - Part 2, Spike and Twilight find a door enchanted by King Sombra that shows their greatest fears. Spike has a vision in which Twilight sends him away forever, scaring him. Self-image Spike is often defensive about his masculinity and dismissive of things he considers "girly," although his outward disdain is often a front. In The Ticket Master, for instance, Spike scoffs at the idea of attending the "girly Gala gunk" throughout the episode, but he's overjoyed when Princess Celestia sends him a ticket at the end. He quickly reverts back to not liking it when he sees Applejack looking at him, but both laugh about it afterwards. In Party of One, when Pinkie tells him to confess, he admits to admiring his own reflection in a mirror when nobody else is around. In Read It and Weep, Twilight says to Rainbow Dash, "Just because you're athletic doesn't mean you aren't smart." Spike adds, "Yeah, just look at me," curls his arm, and kisses his bicep, only to get weird looks from the mares. Generosity and greed Spike magically matures through his greediness in Secret of My Excess. On his birthday, Spike goes around Ponyville and requests gifts from passersby. He lets his greed get the better of him, causing him to grow into a gangly "teenager" by the next day. Zecora explains that his greed is making him grow into a monster. As he continues to grow, he develops more lizard-like qualities, such as slit pupils and a long thin-forked tongue, and his voice deepens, eventually degenerating into simple roars. As a massive dragon, Spike kidnaps Rarity and wreaks havoc on Ponyville. He only returns to normal when he sees Rarity wearing the fire ruby he gave her earlier in the episode, and remembers when he gave it to her. At the end of the episode, Spike concludes that he'd rather be generous, because hoarding doesn't compare to giving. However, Spike still loves collecting and eating gems. In Just For Sidekicks, Spike agrees to take care of the ponies' pets in exchange for gems so he can bake a jewel cake. However, Spike gradually loses his gem supply throughout the day as he struggles to keep the pets in control, learning a valuable lesson in responsibility. Hatching As a filly in a flashback from The Cutie Mark Chronicles, Twilight is faced with an entrance exam for Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. The test is to hatch a dragon egg with magic. She struggles to produce traces of magic from her horn; however, the shock wave from Rainbow Dash's sonic rainboom triggers an uncontrolled release of Twilight's latent power, not only hatching Spike but also enlarging him into the size of an adult dragon, and causing mayhem in the exam room. Princess Celestia herself intervenes and brings Twilight's magic under control. From then on, Spike becomes Twilight's friend and assistant. Spike's egg is colored shades of purple in the episode, but in Friendship is Magic, part 1, he tells Fluttershy that he hatched from a "cute little purple-and-green egg". Lauren Faust elaborated on her take on these events, which is covered in a section below. Spike in his egg Princess Celestia looking up at a magically-grown Spike Add a photo to this gallery Assistant to Twilight Sparkle Spike, serving as Twilight's assistant, moves with her to Ponyville in Friendship is Magic, part 1 when Celestia orders Twilight to oversee the Summer Sun Celebration. Throughout the series he sends correspondence between Twilight and the Princess using his magical fire breath, helps organize and fetch books, reads and writes letters, keeps Twilight's checklists, and helps her practice magic. He is usually shown writing right-handed, although in Lesson Zero he is shown writing with his left hand. In one instance, he is "away on royal business", in Look Before You Sleep. Spike finds Twilight her old copy of Predictions and Prophecies, re-shelves Twilight's pile of books, and checks off items in her Summer Sun Celebration checklist in Friendship is Magic, part 1. In Griffon the Brush Off, Spike gets scrolls from the Ponyville town hall. He helps Twilight practice magic in the beginning of Boast Busters and also in Feeling Pinkie Keen. Also, in the aforementioned episodes, Spike takes notes for Twilight and carries the books from the library. In Bridle Gossip, Spike offers the book Super Naturals and stays at the library to look for a cure to the ponies' affliction while they go to Zecora's house in the woods. In Owl's Well That Ends Well, he prepares a picnic entirely by himself, and later accidentally burns a book he was supposed to put back in place. The next morning, he oversleeps and tries to make up to Twilight for the "morning chores" he didn't do. He tidies up the library in The Return of Harmony Part 2. He fills so many checklists in Lesson Zero that he gets a claw-cramp, and carries a broom at the library in Read It and Weep. Sleepiness In Friendship is Magic, part 1, Twilight says that Spike is a baby and needs to get his sleep (despite Spike stating the contrary) as an excuse to send Fluttershy away. In Friendship is Magic, part 2, she tucks him in his bed when she and her new friends set out to find the Elements of Harmony. He's sleepy at the beginning of Winter Wrap Up too, owing to the very early hour at which Twilight wakes up. His sleepiness concerns Twilight in Owl's Well That Ends Well, and she finds a second assistant, Owlowiscious, to relieve him of some of the workload at night. In Magical Mystery Cure, Spike is woken up by Twilight during her Morning in Ponyville song, and instantly flops back down into his basket. He later complains about not being allowed to sleep in, as he enjoys sleeping while it's raining out. Identity as a dragon Spike "doesn't act like other dragons" and acts more like a pony. In Dragon Quest, Spike questions his identity and embarks on a journey of self-discovery. Due to his lack of knowledge of his origins, as well as the ponies' lack of knowledge in dragons in general, Spike decides to follow the dragon migration. He meets a group of teenagers who initially mock him for his small size and the fact that he socializes with ponies. However, after belly-flopping hard into the lava pool, Spike is accepted to the group. Spike believes that being rough, strong, physical, and dominating is what it means to be a dragon. When he follows the other dragons on a raid for phoenix eggs, the other dragons encourage him to break one of the eggs they find. Spike is unwilling to break it and defies the group. As a result, the other dragons turn against him. Rarity, Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash, who have been following him the whole time, come out of hiding and stick up for him. At that point, Spike finally realizes what's important is not what he is, but who he is, and that is being Spike, a baby dragon who is family with a group of ponies. In Spike at Your Service, Spike follows a "dragon code" that sees him honoring a life debt to and serving Applejack when she saves him from a group of ravenous timberwolves. Spike is so dedicated to this code that he is willing to stop being Twilight's assistant in order to adhere to it, until Applejack returns the favor to make them even. Crush on Rarity Spike develops a crush on Rarity the moment he sees her in Friendship is Magic, part 1. He goes to great lengths for her affection. In Boast Busters, he tries to impress her with a mustache conjured through Twilight's magic. Spike is protective toward Rarity in A Dog and Pony Show. Though he is all but defeated by the Diamond Dogs, he still tries to find ways to rescue Rarity, like using the gem she gave him earlier as bait. In Owl's Well That Ends Well, Rarity calls Spike "simply amazing" and gives him a bow tie laden with jewels. Spike treats his crush on Rarity as a secret in Green Isn't Your Color, though his feelings are so obvious to other ponies that he is shown wearing a shirt with Rarity surrounded by a heart as a visual gag. Pinkie Pie, who is privy to the "secret" as much as the other ponies, still acts very surprised when Spike reveals his secret to her. Despite all of this, Spike and Rarity's relationship develops to become stronger in later episodes. In Secret of My Excess, Spike generously gives Rarity a fire ruby that she covets. In gratitude, she kisses him on the cheek and calls him "Spikey-wikey." During Spike's birthday party, they affectionately rub their cheeks together. Later in the episode, when Spike returns to normal after growing into a monstrous dragon and he and Rarity plummet to the ground, Spike very nearly confesses his feelings for her, but Rarity stops him mid-sentence and gives a teary smile at him, and Spike smiles back. After they are rescued by Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, Rarity calls Spike her hero and kisses him on the cheek again. Rarity shows a more caring and sensitive feeling for Spike in Dragon Quest and still calls him "Spikey-wikey." She stands up for him when Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash pick on him and when Spike decides to join the dragon migration, Rarity tries to change his mind, telling him that she doesn't want him to get hurt by the other dragons. Later, she even threatens to hurt the older dragons if they harm Spike. In Simple Ways, Spike helps Rarity in her attempts to win the heart of Trenderhoof, despite his own feelings for her. In Inspiration Manifestation, Spike assists Rarity as she designs a puppet theater for the Foal and Filly Fair. She thanks Spike for his help, defining him one of her dearest and most supportive friends calling him her "favorite dragon". When Rarity's theater is met with harsh reception and she falls into a depression, Spike helps by finding a spell from a hidden spell book to bring Rarity's ideas to life. However, Rarity is corrupted by the spell, and Spike worries that telling her to stop will cost him her friendship. Spike soon tells Rarity the truth about her actions, breaking the spell, and Rarity tells Spike he should never be afraid of telling her the truth, and the two share a friendly hug. In some situations, Spike is even submissive in his devotion to Rarity. In Green Isn't Your Color, he gladly offers his body as a pincushion for Rarity to use while she designs a dress. In Party of One, he takes out Rarity's garbage and addresses her as "most beautiful one". He looks at her lovingly even after she says he smells like "a rotten apple core that's been wrapped in moldy hay and dipped in dragon perspiration". In Rarity Takes Manehattan, Spike carries Rarity's bags to the train station and through the streets of Manehattan. Heroism Though Spike is young and often stated to only be a baby dragon, he occasionally has moments of great heroism and bravery. In A Dog and Pony Show, he is persistent in his attempt to rescue Rarity from the Diamond Dogs. He imagines himself as a suave knight who easily defeats the dogs to save his "Lady Rarity." In The Crystal Empire - Part 2, when Twilight is unable to deliver the Crystal Heart to defeat King Sombra, Spike braves Sombra's black crystal spires to deliver the artifact himself, a feat which he is recognized for with a title and statue in Equestria Games. In Spike at Your Service, Spike saves Applejack's life from a giant timberwolf. In Power Ponies, he overcomes the powerless role of Hum Drum and saves his friends from the evil Mane-iac. In Equestria Games, he saves thousands of Crystal Ponies' lives from a giant mass of ice by melting it with his fire breath. Skills Magic fire breath Spike has the ability to transport scrolls back and forth between Twilight Sparkle and Princess Celestia, by means of magical fire breath. He sends notes by breathing magic green fire onto them, then blowing their ashes into the air. The ashes re-materialize themselves into notes after they arrive at Celestia's location. Spike can likewise belch out a jet of green flame which then materializes into a letter. This ability is able to teleport multiple papers, as showcased on some occasions. Spike sends multiple notes all at once in Griffon the Brush Off, and transports six tickets to the Gala in The Ticket Master. He does have his limits, though: Twilight finds him curled up on the floor, groaning and clutching his stomach, after Princess Celestia sends him too many scrolls in The Return of Harmony Part 2. In Feeling Pinkie Keen, Celestia comes to collect one of the scrolls herself, right as Spike is about to send it from the library's terrace. Spike's fire has different effects on objects in different situations. In Griffon the Brush Off, his fiery hiccups cause Princess Celestia to be showered with a large number of scrolls, which he can also do voluntarily. In Owl's Well That Ends Well, he accidentally incinerates a book with a sneeze. He likewise incinerated a news paper during Ponyville Confidential, after being startled. He has also used his fire to cook food in Over a Barrel, A Bird in the Hoof, and Apple Family Reunion. In the episode Griffon the Brush-Off, Spike mentioned he was fireproof, but in Owl's Well That Ends Well, his spines were slightly burned by the wild dragon. In Inspiration Manifestation, it is shown that Spike's fire breath is hot enough to melt a metal padlock. In Equestria Games, Spike is in charge of lighting the torch for the opening ceremony of the Equestria Games. But when he see the thousands of ponies from the crowd watching him, his nerves gets the best of him and his fire breath seems to not work anymore. Later in the episode, an ice archer accidentally hits a cloud in the sky, making it turn into a large mass of ice that falls toward the stadium. When the Pegasi are unable to divert it away from the crowd, and the security guards have no time to undo their magic-disabling spell on the unicorns, Spike springs into action, jumping up on the backs of Shining Armor and several Pegasi, and shoots the ice from below with a tremendous blast of fire, melting it into water and steam. Unlike in other appearances, his fire breath during this action is orange-yellow instead of its typical green. Lauren Faust elaborated on her take of Spike's magic fire breath, which is covered in a section below. Digging for gems During the episode A Dog and Pony Show, Spike digs up gems for Rarity. He uses several different techniques, including scrabbling at the ground with his claws, using the splay of his tail as a shovel, and bouncing on his tail like a jackhammer. The effort doesn't seem to tire him in the least. Commentating and announcing Over the course of the series, Spike has shown talent and enthusiasm for announcing at events. His first taste is in Fall Weather Friends where he commentates on the Iron Pony Competition, and he is quite disheartened when Pinkie Pie is set as the announcer for the Running of the Leaves. Fortunately she asks him to be her co-announcer, much to his delight. He continues this role in Suited For Success, where he emcees Rarity's fashion show. In Hearth's Warming Eve, he narrates the Canterlot Hearth's Warming Eve pageant. Musical talents Spike can be heard humming the opening theme song in Griffon the Brush Off. In Over a Barrel, Spike proficiently plays the piano for Pinkie Pie's musical number. Spike's "predecessor" in the 1986 My Little Pony movie plays the piano for one of the ponies' musical number as well. Spike is also seen playing a double-flute in Hurricane Fluttershy. Spike is among the singers of The Heart Carol and The Flim Flam Brothers, but his singing voice is not heard clearly until The Failure Song, in which he sings backup for Twilight. He also sings in The Ballad of the Crystal Empire, and he also sings in the background (though voice not heard) during A True, True Friend, Life in Equestria, and Pinkie the Party Planner. In Testing Testing 1, 2, 3, Spike plays a drum. Spike sings the Cloudsdale Anthem at the Equestria Games wrong because he thought he was going to sing the Ponyville Anthem which he knows the words to. He attempts to sing the anthem after he fails to light the opening ceremony torch to the games when he learns it was lit with the help of Twilight. Dietary habits Spike's love of eating gems is shown in several episodes. In Over a Barrel, Little Strongheart offers Spike a bowl of turquoises at dinnertime. In A Dog and Pony Show, Spike is tempted to eat the gems that Rarity asks him to dig up. In Party of One, Pinkie bribes him with a plate of gems. In Secret of My Excess, Spike prefers a sapphire cupcake over his birthday cake. In Just for Sidekicks, he wants to bake his gems into a cake, but every time he tries, he ends up eating them. Spike's preferred gem color is revealed in Equestria Games, when he tells the Crystal pony feeding him that he likes the green ones. In The Ticket Master, he tries to order gems at a café, but settles for "hay fries." In The Best Night Ever, he binges on doughnuts while waiting for his friends. InApplebuck Season, he snacks on putrid worm-filled muffins without getting sick, even though ponies get food poisoning from them. However, in It's About Time, Spike gets a stomach ache when he eats too much ice cream. Cooking Spike has been shown and mentioned to be a good cook. In Owl's Well That Ends Well, Twilight mentions Spike baked the cookies all the ponies liked. Spike bakes the food for Princess Celestia's party in A Bird in the Hoof, mentions in Over a Barrel that he fire-roasted the ponies' snacks earlier that day, and in Dragon Quest makes and serves the tea and baked goods everypony eats while watching the dragon migration. However, in Spike at Your Service, he burns an apple pie while baking. In Just for Sidekicks, Spike attempts to collect gems for a cake he is making, but he ends up eating all the jewels before they can go in the batter. In Twilight Sparkle's Hot Minute, Twilight mentions that Spike makes great nachos. In Twilight Time, Spike comes out with a plate of nachos, but Twilight suggests making more for all of the Cutie Mark Crusaders' classmates. By the time all of the classmates are gone, Spike comes back with a huge pile of nachos. He then expresses frustration over the fact that his work was for nothing. At the end of the episode, all the nachos are shown in the garbage can outside the library. Older Spike Spike is depicted as an adult, or at least larger than he usually is, in three different episodes. The first is in his fantasy in A Dog and Pony Show, detailed in the section crush on Rarity. The second is in The Cutie Mark Chronicles, detailed in the section hatching. The third and most prominent depiction is in the episode Secret of My Excess, detailed in the section generosity and greed. Although, on each different occasion, Spike's grown up designs each seem different from each other.